Aut Erickson split his four-year junior career evenly between the Lethbridge Native Sons and the Prince Albert Mintos of the WCJHL between 1954 and 1958. During that time, and especially in Prince Albert, the lanky blueliner established himself as a robust defender who had a touch for head-manning the puck.

In 1958-59, he turned pro with the Calgary Stampeders for a season before leaping to the top with the Boston Bruins where he completed two full campaigns of spot duty. His entry onto the NHL stage, however, bore little resemblance to his success in Western Canada. At the pro level, Erickson would suffer the wandering fate of most journeymen of his day.

Over the nine seasons that followed his departure from Boston, Erickson picked up the odd gig with various NHL clubs including the Chicago Blackhawks, Oakland Seals, and Toronto Maple Leafs. The latter outing consisted of only one game with the Blue and White during their Stanley Cup run of 1967. An appearance in that single contest got his name etched on the Cup.

In between NHL stops, he put in time with the Buffalo Bisons and Pittsburgh Hornets of the AHL plus the Victoria Cougars and Phoenix Roadrunners of the WHL. He retired from on-ice duty in 1969-70.

Afterwards, he stayed on to coach the Roadrunners for two seasons and then returned to the NHL as an assistant GM with the New York Islanders. After two years in the front office he co-coached the team with Earl Ingarfield for a short time before leaving hockey for good.

REGULAR SEASON

PLAYOFFS

Season

Club

League

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

+/-

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

1954-55

Lethbridge Native Sons

WCJHL

39

3

2

5

54

11

0

2

2

2

1955-56

Lethbridge Native Sons

WCJHL

47

6

14

20

75

11

6

2

8

14

1955-56

Saskatoon Quakers

WHL

1

0

0

0

0

1956-57

Prince Albert Mintos

SJHL

49

12

15

27

159

13

4

5

9

4

1957-58

Prince Albert Mintos

SJHL

47

14

32

46

108

6

0

4

4

7

1957-58

Saskatoon/St. Paul Saints

WHL

2

0

0

0

0

1957-58

Regina Pats

SJHL

16

6

8

14

16

1957-58

Regina Pats

M-Cup

16

6

5

11

16

1958-59

Calgary Stampeders

WHL

62

4

15

19

93

8

0

1

1

4

1959-60

Boston Bruins

NHL

58

1

6

7

29

1960-61

Boston Bruins

NHL

68

2

6

8

65

1961-62

Buffalo Bisons

AHL

64

7

23

30

88

11

1

1

2

6

1962-63

Chicago Black Hawks

NHL

3

0

0

0

8

1962-63

Buffalo Bisons

AHL

68

3

19

22

97

12

0

4

4

25

1963-64

Chicago Black Hawks

NHL

31

0

1

1

34

6

0

0

0

0

1963-64

Buffalo Bisons

AHL

34

3

13

16

36

1964-65

Pittsburgh Hornets

AHL

64

3

19

22

94

4

0

0

0

6

1965-66

Victoria Maple Leafs

WHL

65

7

14

21

109

14

1

5

6

10

1966-67

Victoria Maple Leafs

WHL

70

8

28

36

76

1966-67

Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL

1

0

0

0

2

1967-68

Oakland Seals

NHL

65

4

11

15

46

-17

1968-69

Phoenix Roadrunners

WHL

68

8

29

37

83

1969-70

Oakland Seals

NHL

1

0

0

0

0

-1

1969-70

Phoenix Roadrunners

WHL

18

0

4

4

8

NHL Totals

226

7

24

31

182

7

0

0

0

2

WCJHL First All-Star Team (1956) SJHL First All-Star Team (1957, 1958) WHL Second All-Star Team (1967)

Claimed by Chicago from Saskatoon-St. Paul (WHL) in Inter-League Draft, June 3, 1958. Claimed by Boston from Chicago in Intra-League Draft, June 10, 1959. Claimed by Chicago from Boston in Intra-League Draft, June 13, 1961. Traded to Detroit by Chicago with Ron Murphy for John Miszuk, Art Stratton and Ian Cushenan, June 9, 1964. Traded to Toronto by Detroit with Marcel Pronovost, Larry Jeffrey, Eddie Joyal and Lowell MacDonald for Billy Harris, Gary Jarrett and Andy Bathgate, May 20, 1965. Claimed by California (Oakland) from Toronto in Expansion Draft, June 6, 1967. Underwent career-ending spinal fusion surgery, January, 1970.